AI Isn’t the Real Layoff Culprit, Oxford Economics Finds

Jan 14, 2026 -- Today’s top stories: AI Isn’t the Real Layoff Culprit, Oxford Economics Finds, Microsoft Warns China Is Winning the Global AI Race Outside the West, and China Modernizes Ancient Grand Canal With Smart Ports and Cleaner Ships.

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By CommonWealth Magazine
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2026-01-14

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Is AI really killing jobs? Oxford Economics reveals what's really behind the layoffs

A new report from Oxford Economics has found that AI is not the main driver behind today's job losses; traditional economic forces are.

While companies increasingly cite AI when announcing layoffs, most job cuts are still rooted in familiar challenges such as slowing growth, weak demand, cost pressures, and corporate restructuring.

Oxford Economics notes that most workforce reductions continue to be shaped by familiar economic pressures, including sluggish growth, aggressive corporate cost-cutting, persistent market uncertainty, and the unwinding of over-hiring that took place during the Post-Pandemic boom.

In some cases, pointing to AI helps companies frame layoffs as part of a forward-looking innovation strategy rather than a reaction to financial stress.

The researchers said the extent of job losses attributed to artificial intelligence is more likely to be overstated than understated, noting that technology is often used to soften the narrative around deeper economic problems. Data from Challenger, Grey & Christmas shows that AI-related job cuts in the United States are indeed rising. Nearly 55,000 layoffs in the first 11 months of 2025 were linked to AI, the majority of all AI-related job losses reported since 2023.

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indiatoday - Is AI really killing jobs? Oxford Economics reveals what's really behind the layoffs

Microsoft warns that China is winning AI race outside the west

Microsoft has warned that U.S. AI groups are being outpaced by Chinese rivals in the battle for users outside the West, as China combines low-cost “ open ” models with hefty state subsidies to gain an edge. brad Smith, Microsoft’s president, told the ft that the rapid adoption of Chinese ai start-up Deepseek’s technology in emerging markets such as Africa underscores the competition American firms face around the world. “ we have to recognise that right now, unlike a year ago, China has an Open-Source model, and increasingly more than one, that is competitive, ” he said.

His comments come as new research from Microsoft found that the release of Deepseek ’ s R1 large language model a year ago helped accelerate the uptake of ai worldwide, particularly in the global South, due to its “ accessibility and low cost ”. that has also led to China Overtaking the us in the global market for so-called “ open ” ai models, which are often free to use, modify and integrate by developers.

In contrast, U.S. Tech groups such as OpenAI, Google and Anthropic have instead focused on maintaining full control of their most advanced technology, profiting from it through customer Subscriptions or enterprise deals.

Microsoft’s research, which is based on usage data from the Tech group’s products, estimated the Chinese group has an 18 per cent share of the AI market in Ethiopia and 17% in Zimbabwe.

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ft - Microsoft warns that China is winning AI race outside the west

Shandong upgrades ancient canal shipping with smart tech, cleaner ships

The historic Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in Shandong province is being upgraded with automated port systems and lower-emission vessels to modernize inland shipping.

Longgong port in Shandong province is using automated rail cranes and unmanned trucks to handle most container movements, with operations monitored from a centralized control room. Tasks that once required about 60 truck drivers across three shifts are now managed by three operators overseeing 16 autonomous vehicles using Beidou navigation and 5G Connectivity. Local authorities are pushing to modernize Inland shipping.

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